24 HIV & LGBTI Heroes To Be Honoured At Bangkok World AIDS Day Gala

A diverse and inspirational mix of 24 people and organisations from across Asia and the Pacific have been selected as finalists for this year’s HERO Awards, a gala World AIDS Day fundraising event taking place at Bangkok’s British Embassy in November.

Standing for HIV, Equality and Rights, the HERO Awards is an annual event which acknowledges outstanding service to the HIV response in Asia and the Pacific, and to the region’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities. The event is also a fundraiser for the Bangkok-based APCOM Foundation, a leading NGO which works to fight HIV and advance LGBT health and rights across the Asia Pacific region. The Awards are being supported by a range of corporate sponsors, community organisations and diplomatic missions.

The 24 finalists have been selected from over 200 nominations across eight (8) categories submitted by community members throughout the region, with judging panels selecting three (3) finalists and one (1) winner for each category. The recipients of each of the eight awards will be presented with their prize at a gala ceremony and cocktail party on Friday 30 November at the British Embassy.

APCOM Updates

SUPPORT THE FIGHT FOR LGBT RIGHTS IN ASIA

Taiwan has long shown what’s possible in the movement for LGBT equality in Asia. Last year, a ruling from their country’s highest court positioned Taiwan to be the first country in Asia to win marriage equality. But now, anti-LGBT forces have forced three referenda on November 24 aiming to block same-sex couples from marrying and attack LGBT youth. If these opponents get their way, Taiwan’s major advances in LGBT equality could all be wiped out.Support Marriage Equality in Taiwan with the new Facebook profile frame from APCOM.

HIV advocates from across SE Asia have highlighted how reforming laws which criminalize homosexuality, drug use and sex work could unlock hundreds of millions of dollars that could help reduce the region’s escalating HIV epidemic among gay men, transgender people, sex workers and people who use drugs.

The advocates gathered in Manila in the Philippines this month as part of the international SHIFT project (Sustainable HIV Financing In Transition) which aims to help HIV workers from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines become more effective at participating in conversations with their national governments to fund health programs for communities most affected by HIV.

Helping financial institutions focused on international development in the Asia Pacific region to be more inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people is the aim of a new project which launched this month in Bali.

The new initiative – called Finance Inc. – will develop a range of approaches to help community organisations engage with multilateral financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve their policies and practices in relation to LGBT people and communities, taking learnings from the World Bank which has a dedicated Global Adviser on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI).

Many Asian countries are recording alarmingly high numbers of HIV infection among its MSM population. Meanwhile, the adoption of media and technology in Southeast Asia – especially in urban areas – has grown exponentially. Online sexual networking websites and mobile dating apps are used by young MSM to regularly seek out sexual partners. testXXX was created by APCOM to respond to this crisis and opportunity for HIV services for young MSM in the region.

Thumb Stopping and 15 other Case Studies on HIV-related Behaviour Change Communication is the report based on the lessons shared during the testXXX Regional Dialogue, which took place in Bangkok during 23-25 May 2018 and were attended by eight testXXX campaigners from Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila and Saigon.

Everyday Hero

COMMUNITY ALLY - PROF. PRAPHAN PANUPAK

Allies of the LGBT community and people affected by HIV play a vital role in helping improve the health and rights of these communities. Last year, the founder and longtime director of the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre Prof. Praphan Panupak received the Community Ally award at the inaugural Asia Pacific HERO Awards for over 20 years of outstanding service as an HIV researcher and committed advocate for people and communities affected by HIV. He is a true community HERO and you can find out more about his work and his involvement with the HERO Awards in a special story from Thailand’s VOICE TV.